Agusta
Bell 205A
The Bell 205A is a licensed‑built version of the iconic Bell UH‑1H Huey, produced in Italy by Agusta from the early 1960s through the 1970s. When the United States Army announced the need for a reliable medium‑lift helicopter, Bell sold the manufacturing rights to Agusta, which adapted the design for European customers and for export to the Middle East, Africa and South America. The Agusta‑built 205A kept the single‑engine, turboshaft powered, two‑bladed main rotor layout, but incorporated local avionics, a reinforced airframe and optional metal skid or wheeled landing gear. It could carry up to eight passengers or a payload of 1,200 kilograms, and its powerplant – usually a Lycoming T53‑13 or a Turbomeca Artouste – delivered 1,400 shaft horsepower, giving a maximum speed of about 210 km/h and a range of roughly 570 km. The aircraft proved versatile in utility, transport, medevac and fire‑suppression roles, and it became a backbone for many air forces and civilian operators. The Bell 205A’s longevity demonstrated the success of licensed production, spreading the Huey’s reliability worldwide and cementing its place in modern rotary‑wing history.